US 11,940,711 B2
Beam steering devices
Anthony Van Heugten, Sarasota, FL (US)
Assigned to e-Vision Smart Optics, Inc., Sarasota, FL (US)
Filed by e-Vision Smart Optics, Inc., Sarasota, FL (US)
Filed on Aug. 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/406,030.
Application 17/406,030 is a continuation of application No. 16/783,863, filed on Feb. 6, 2020, granted, now 11,126,061.
Application 16/783,863 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2019/062110, filed on Nov. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/769,052, filed on Nov. 19, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0214595 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G02F 1/295 (2006.01); G02B 27/01 (2006.01); G02C 7/02 (2006.01); G02C 7/04 (2006.01); G02C 7/08 (2006.01); G02F 1/1335 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 1/2955 (2013.01) [G02B 27/0172 (2013.01); G02C 7/022 (2013.01); G02C 7/041 (2013.01); G02C 7/083 (2013.01); G02F 1/133502 (2013.01); G02F 2203/24 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for projecting a light beam on a retina of a user via eyewear worn by the user, comprising:
providing a light beam;
coupling, into a beam steering device of the eyewear, the light beam as an incident light beam orthogonal to a first plane of a first overlay of the beam steering device, the first overlay coupled to a substrate of the beam steering device, the substrate having a first refractive index, the substrate defining a cavity having an electroactive material disposed therein, the electroactive material exhibiting a variable refractive index;
receiving, at a second overlay of the beam steering device, the incident light beam from the electroactive material, the second overlay defining a second plane titled with respect to the first plane to define a tilt angle;
applying a first electric field to the electroactive material between the first overlay and the second overlay, and a second electric field to the electroactive material between a third overlay and a fourth overlay of the beam steering device, the third overlay and the fourth overlay each defining a plane orthogonal with respect to the first plane, such that the electroactive material attains a second refractive index based on a strength of the first electric field and the second electric field, the applying further comprising sweeping the second refractive index between a first value and a second value;
outputting, after refraction by the second overlay, the incident light beam as an output light beam onto the retina of the user, including responsive to the sweeping, steering the output light beam across the retina of the user along a first axis, wherein the beam steering device is a first beam steering device and the output light beam is a first output light beam, and wherein the outputting includes coupling the incident light beam as the first output light beam into a second beam steering device of the eyewear; and
steering, by the second beam steering device, the first output light beam as a second output light beam across the retina of the user along a second axis.